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If the seven games debuting on PSN this month at discounted rates don't spice up Sony's Spring Fever sale enough for your liking, the sale will also include sales on four different franchises. Games and DLC in the Call of Duty, Need for Speed, BioShock and Grand Theft Auto series are on sale at varying points in March for all PSN users.

The sale spans five games in the Need for Speed series, each down to $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus subscribers) tomorrow through March 10. Those games include Need for Speed: Most Wanted on both PS3 and Vita, Hot Pursuit on PS3, The Run on PS3 and Carbon on PSP and Vita. The Call of Duty series continues on March 11 through March 17 and features a variety of game and DLC bundles for Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops and Black Ops 2. Both Black Ops games can be purchased together for $69.99 ($62.99 on PS Plus) as well as all three Modern Warfare games for $64.99 ($58.49 for PS Plus members).

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series rolls in next on March 18 with sales lasting through March 24. The sale knocks GTA 5 down to $39.99, GTA 4 to $5.99 ($4.79 on PS Plus) as well as a handful of other PS3 and PSP games in the series ranging from $5.99 each ($4.79 for PS Plus) to $2.99 each ($2.39 on PS Plus). Lastly, the first two games in the BioShock series will also be $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus members) March 25 through March 31. Those games are joined by BioShock Infinite's Burial at Sea Episode 1 DLC for $10.40 ($7.34 on PS Plus) as well as Columbia's Finest Pack and Clash in the Clouds for $3.49 each ($2.44 on PS Plus).

As of sometime next month, the additional storage space includes downloadable copies of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Ms. Splosion Man, and Pinball FX 2 with the Sorcerer's Lair DLC. As for the price, that sticks at $129.99.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>320gbmicrosoftms-splosion-manneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitxboxxbox-360-slimFri, 22 Feb 2013 10:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/03/ea-online-pass-can-expire-for-new-game-purchases-but-it-should/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/03/ea-online-pass-can-expire-for-new-game-purchases-but-it-should/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/12/03/ea-online-pass-can-expire-for-new-game-purchases-but-it-should/#comments
A NeoGAF member posited that his new copy of EA's Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit contained an Online Pass that was expired, blocking him from accessing online content -- others on the forum came forward with similar stories, suggesting that EA's disclaimer covers this clause and he was out of luck. Since blocking new-game purchasers from using online content seems like an unproductive move (even) for EA, we asked an EA Advisor for clarification on its Online Pass expiration policy.

EA's Online Pass can indeed expire for some new games, blocking buyers out of online content until they download a new pass or attain one from EA directly, EA confirmed to Joystiq. As a rule, no Online Pass should expire, but a few titles will have a time limit on their use, even for new purchases, EA said. Dragon Age 2, for example, has an Online Pass that expires on March 31, 2012, according to EA's EULA description. Re-downloading or getting a new Pass is free, EA said.

This still seems like a strange extra step for EA to infuse in its new games, and we have contacted EA more directly for further clarification. Until then, maybe you shouldn't wait until the holiday tear the shrinkwrap off that copy of Dead Space 2.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EAElectronic-Artsexpirationmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitonline-passpcplaystationps3xboxSat, 03 Dec 2011 13:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/xperia-play-makes-itself-more-enticing-for-the-holidays-with-fou/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/xperia-play-makes-itself-more-enticing-for-the-holidays-with-fou/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/09/xperia-play-makes-itself-more-enticing-for-the-holidays-with-fou/#comments
EA is offering four big mobile titles for free for all the tens of people who own Sony's Xperia Play: Dead Space, Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Need for Speed: Shiftand Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. The offer runs through Jan. 15, 2012, meaning you still have time to throw the PlayStation Phone on your holiday wish list and snag these suckers for free. If it helps, think of it as getting four games with a handy smartphone case thrown in for free.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-bad-company-2Dead-SpacefreemobileNeed-for-Speed-Hot-PursuitNeed-For-Speed-ShiftSONYxperia-playSun, 09 Oct 2011 19:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-grows-digital-sales-in-q4-stems-losses-for-fiscal-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-grows-digital-sales-in-q4-stems-losses-for-fiscal-year/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/05/04/ea-grows-digital-sales-in-q4-stems-losses-for-fiscal-year/#commentsEA enjoyed solid growth in the final quarter of its 2011 fiscal year (ending March 31), thanks in large part to a bump in digital revenue. Digital sales were up $67 million from the same period a year ago to $211 million. Good ol' boxed games weren't slouching though, as packaged goods revenue increased $44 million up to $838 million. In all, EA rebounded from its rough Q3 to record $151 million in profit during the fiscal fourth quarter.

The engine for that growth was a surprisingly impressive quarterly lineup for the company. Seven of its titles from fiscal Q4 have surpassed 1 million units shipped, with Crysis 2, Dead Space 2 and Dragon Age 2 all over the 2-million-shipped mark. DLC for those titles (like Dead Space 2's "Severed" add-on) was the cornerstone of digital profits, as well. Over its entire 2011 fiscal year, EA shipped 12 million units of FIFA 11, 7 million copies of Bad Company 2 (released at the tail end of FY10), and five million each of Medal of Honor, Hot Pursuit and Madden 11.

But it seems that, in the grand scheme, these titles weren't enough to alter EA's fortunes for the fiscal year, which ended in a $267 million loss for the company. We suppose there's still a bit of a silver lining, however -- those losses would seem to sting considerably less than the $677 million lost by EA just one year prior.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>battlefield-bad-company-2crysis-2dead-space-2dragon-age-2dseaearningselectronic-artsfifa-11financialfy-2011madden-nfl-11medal-of-honormicrosoftmobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplaystationps3pspq4salessonywiixboxWed, 04 May 2011 17:50:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/nfs-hot-pursuit-getting-three-new-dlc-packs-in-the-next-three-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/nfs-hot-pursuit-getting-three-new-dlc-packs-in-the-next-three-w/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/17/nfs-hot-pursuit-getting-three-new-dlc-packs-in-the-next-three-w/#comments
After yesterday's discovery of new Achievements arriving in this week's Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit patch -- cheevos that hinted at Lamborghini and Porsche DLC -- EA today issued a press releasing detailing three new DLC packs launching over the next three weeks starting on February 22. And wouldn't you know it, two of the packs happen to be themed after the aforementioned luxury car brands; "Lamborghini Untamed" adds three Lambos and 10 new events, while "Porsche Untamed" brings two Porsches and 10 more new events.

Kicking the tires on the three weeks of DLC is the "Armed and Dangerous" pack, which adds two modes: "Most Wanted", described as "an open-world battle where the cops are out to bust a specific racer while the racers battle to protect them, making full use of the open world, weaponry and demanding team tactics," and "Arms Race," which EA details as "every man for himself as racers use their full arsenal of weaponry on each other in ruthless races to the finish." Armed and Dangerous arrives next week for $7, with Lamborghini Untamed and Porsche Unleashed launching in subsequent weeks at the same price.

As detailed on the Need for Speed Blog, folks interested in snagging the forthcoming DLC will have to download this week's patch (version 1.2) first, which must be manually downloaded on Xbox 360s (via the Marketplace) since the 257MB patch handily exceeds the console's maximum size for an automatic Title Update. The PlayStation 3 update is automatically triggered upon startup.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>armed-and-dangerouscriterion-gamesdlceaelectronic-artslamborghinilamborghini-untamedmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationporscheporsche-unleashedps3xboxThu, 17 Feb 2011 13:43:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/nfs-hot-pursuit-patch-achievements-hint-at-porsche-vs-lamborg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/nfs-hot-pursuit-patch-achievements-hint-at-porsche-vs-lamborg/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/16/nfs-hot-pursuit-patch-achievements-hint-at-porsche-vs-lamborg/#comments
A new DLC pack for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit will deal with the eternal struggle between Porsche and Lamborghini, it seems. The 1.2 patch for the game reportedly brings with it several new Achievements and Trophies, accidentally discovered by one of Eurogamer's readers -- since then, Xbox 360 Achievements has posted a full list of the new Achievements.

It's pretty compelling evidence. The Achievements list cites specific events geared around the Porsche and Lamborghini. Also, this shouldn't be confused with EA's previous marketing stunt to give users DLC for the game which, it seems, is still ongoing.

We've contacted EA for comment and will let you know what we find out.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>achievementscriteriondlceamicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpatchpcplaystationporsche-vs-lamborghiniporsche-vs-lamborghini-packps3trophiesxboxWed, 16 Feb 2011 23:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/ea-earnings-from-digital-distribution-up-in-fiscal-q3-retail-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/ea-earnings-from-digital-distribution-up-in-fiscal-q3-retail-no/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/02/01/ea-earnings-from-digital-distribution-up-in-fiscal-q3-retail-no/#commentsEA sent out its earnings for fiscal Q3 2011, which ended December 31 of last year, and it was a good quarter for EA ... 's digital distribution initiatives. Net digital revenue is up $62 million year over year, hitting $195 million, while net "packaged goods" publishing revenue dropped $78 million to $91 million in the quarter. Along with a drop in revenue from games distributed by EA, the publisher's year-over-year take dropped $190 million.

Touting its digital domination, EA claimed to be the "#1 publisher in the Apple App Store for both iPhone and iPad and #1 on Microsoft Windows Phone 7" in the West during the quarter. It also touted large shipments of two of its Q3 retail releases, Medal of Honorand Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, both of which have passed five million units shipped to date.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>digital-distributiondseaearningselectronic-artsfy-2011medal-of-honorMedal-of-Honor-2010microsoftmobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplaystationps3pspq3salessonywiixboxTue, 01 Feb 2011 17:10:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/10/fifa-11-kicks-off-2011-atop-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/10/fifa-11-kicks-off-2011-atop-uk-charts/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/10/fifa-11-kicks-off-2011-atop-uk-charts/#comments
For the first full week of 2011, FIFA 11 held onto the top spot in the UK's multiplatform sales ranking, according to Chart-Track. The footie franchise has maintained that center forward position for four consecutive weeks.

Oh ... oh, look who's in second place, why if it isn't our good friend Just Dance 2. Ubisoft's unstoppable booty-shaking series keeps on crunkin', with the series' sequel inexplicably moving up two spots into second. Thus, Call of Duty: Black Ops finds itself out of its comfort zone in third place, the first time it hasn't been in the top two since its November launch.

It would seem Mass Effect 2's various end of year accolades spurred interest in the game again, as it returned to the top 40 in spot 18. With no new major game releases this past week, the chart is a shifting of the usual suspects. Check out the top ten after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Britaincall-of-duty-black-opschart-trackchart-track-weeklyFIFA-11just-dance-2microsoftNeed-for-SpeedNeed-for-Speed-Hot-Pursuitnintendoplaystationps3salesUKwiixboxMon, 10 Jan 2011 09:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/fifa-enters-new-year-atop-uk-charts-two-kinect-titles-land-in-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/fifa-enters-new-year-atop-uk-charts-two-kinect-titles-land-in-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/04/fifa-enters-new-year-atop-uk-charts-two-kinect-titles-land-in-t/#commentsCall of Duty Black Ops and FIFA 11 have been fighting for that top spot on the UK charts this holiday season, but FIFA 11 took back number one on Chart-Track's All Formats chart for the week ending January 1, 2011. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, (the perennial) Just Dance 2 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood didn't move a muscle, maintaining their spots in third, fourth and fifth place, respectively.

Microsoft's Kinect had two games in the top ten in the twilight of 2010. Kinect Sports has been hanging around since the peripheral launched, but Dance Central is apparently gaining the attention it deserves, storming the dance floor into tenth place, up nine spots from the prior week. There were five Kinect games in the top 40 this past week, the most since the device's launch week.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Britaincall-of-duty-black-opschart-trackchart-track-weeklyFIFA-11microsoftNeed-for-Speed-Hot-Pursuitnintendoplaystationps3UKwiixboxTue, 04 Jan 2011 12:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/best-of-the-rest-randys-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/best-of-the-rest-randys-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/02/best-of-the-rest-randys-picks-of-2010/#commentsSuper Mario Galaxy 2This is my personal favorite game of 2010 for many reasons, all of which you can read in the review I wrote back in May. In a nutshell: It's the best Mario game ever -- in my opinion, but I've been told I'm not alone -- and can pretty much claim the title of best-ever platformer while it's at it. The experience is magical, the design is masterful and if there were one game I could be stranded on a desert island with ... well, this is it.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-the-rest-2010Darksidersepic-mickeygod-of-war-3halo-reachmetal-gear-solid-peace-walkerNeed-for-Speed-Hot-Pursuitsuper-mario-galaxy-2VanquishSun, 02 Jan 2011 10:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/01/best-of-the-rest-james-picks-of-2010/#comments Halo: Reach
Was it just me or did Reach seem to have the quietest launch of any $200 million seller in history? Franchise fatigue has definitely set in for Halo, but it didn't stop Bungie from delivering its masterpiece. What this game lacks in variation, it makes up for in refinement of one of the all-time great first-person shooters. Reach may be lagging behind Call of Duty -- both Black Ops and Modern Warfare 2 -- in the Xbox Live numbers game, but its campaign is so much more epic. The Covenant are classic video game bad guys, and no one does enemy AI like Bungie. No one.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amnesia-the-dark-descentbest-of-the-rest-2010carcassonneenslaved-odyssey-to-the-westhalo-reachinfinity-bladeiosiphonemacmicrosoftmobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationps3psnscott-pilgrim-vs-the-worldxblaxboxSat, 01 Jan 2011 14:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-mikes-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-mikes-picks-of-2010/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/best-of-the-rest-mikes-picks-of-2010/#commentsEnslaved: Odyssey to the West
Ninja Theory put a heck of a game together here, with some incredible art direction and animation, level design, and the best adventurous duo since Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher. The world traversed by Monkey and Trip is colorfully portrayed and brilliantly built, the gameplay is perfectly formulated to support the characters and the story, and while I admit the game's early levels outdo the somewhat abrupt ending, this was the best original IP I played in 2010.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>best-of-the-rest-2010darksidersenslaved-odyssey-to-the-westfinal-fantasy-xiiilord-of-ultimamicrosoftmobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationpocket-frogsps3puzzle-agentpuzzle-quest-2world-of-warcraft-cataclysmxboxThu, 30 Dec 2010 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/steam-holiday-sale-discounts-left-4-dead-2-gta-iv-nfs-hot-pur/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/steam-holiday-sale-discounts-left-4-dead-2-gta-iv-nfs-hot-pur/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/30/steam-holiday-sale-discounts-left-4-dead-2-gta-iv-nfs-hot-pur/#comments
The Steam savings keep on coming as today's deals offer up another bevy of digital wares on the cheap. There are plenty to choose from, including Left 4 Dead 2 at a very reasonable $6.79, the GTA IV collection (which includes both The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony) for $10, and hefty discounts on Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, Singularity and Transformers: War for Cybertron. Hit the jump for the full list.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterionCriterion-Gamesdigital-distributioneagrand-theft-auto-ivleft-4-dead-2need-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcsteamsteam-holiday-salesteam-holiday-sale-2010valveThu, 30 Dec 2010 17:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/20/black-ops-tops-uk-charts-this-holiday-nfs-hot-pursuit-gets-sal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/20/black-ops-tops-uk-charts-this-holiday-nfs-hot-pursuit-gets-sal/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/20/black-ops-tops-uk-charts-this-holiday-nfs-hot-pursuit-gets-sal/#comments
For a second year in a row going into Christmas, the Call of Duty franchise is king of the Chart-Track UK All Formats chart, with CoD:Black Ops sales slightly up and occupying the space where CoD: Modern Warfare 2 was last year. FIFA 11 placed second, which is nothing unusual. However, coming out of nowhere, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit sales jumped 48 percent, which boosted the game from seventh to third.

Occupying the fourth and fifth spots respectively are Ubisoft's Just Dance 2 and Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood. Just Dance 2 sales were up fifteen percent this week, which means, unless something very strange happens next week, a member of the Just Dance franchise will have been in the top of the UK charts for all of 2010. The first Just Dance owned much of the early part of the year.

Check out the UK's top ten -- keep hanging in there, Donkey Kong Country Returns! -- after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>assassins-creed-2Call-of-Duty-Black-Opschart-trackchart-track-weeklyDonkey-Kong-Country-ReturnsFIFA-11just-dance-2microsoftNeed-for-Speed-Hot-Pursuitnintendoplaystationps3wiixboxMon, 20 Dec 2010 09:50:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/from-the-vgas-red-carpet-criterions-craig-sullivan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/from-the-vgas-red-carpet-criterions-craig-sullivan/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/12/from-the-vgas-red-carpet-criterions-craig-sullivan/#comments
We just saw Criterion's creative director Craig Sullivan at the launch for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit a few weeks ago, and so when he showed up on this weekend's VGAs red carpet, we congratulated him on the game and its addictive Autolog feature. "It's been phenomenal," he agreed. "It does change the way people play. People are playing the same event ten, fifteen, fifty times, and you don't get that in racing games. It's a very big deal for us and we're really glad that people are embracing it and having fun."

The social service doesn't do what most implementations have so far done and share stats out to Twitter or Facebook. Instead, it keeps the sharing inside the game, and Sullivan says that's the way Criterion designed it. "You get information about Need for Speed when you're playing Need for Speed," he says. "That was really key to us." Criterion is also seeing in-game comments used more than expected, though it "usually degenerates into a load of swearing."

As for what's next, Sullivan says DLC is the current focus, though Criterion wouldn't mind making either another Need for Speed or Burnout title, or any other genre for that matter. "We made Black before, and everybody wants us to make Black 2. As long as it's fun and it suits the strengths of the studio, we're interested in making any kind of game. We always joke and say we'll make a game about jelly, or make a game about horses, or tennis or whatever it is. If it fun and it fits with what Criterion stands for, then we'll pretty much make anything."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-sullivancriterionmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3vga-2010vgasxboxSun, 12 Dec 2010 20:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-monopoly-and-snood-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-monopoly-and-snood-on-ipad/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/11/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-monopoly-and-snood-on-ipad/#comments
EA has passed word that three of its games are now ready for the iPad: Monopoly, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and Snood can all be downloaded from the App Store right now.

These three games have been optimized for the iPad with near high-def graphics and interface tweaks made specifically for the platform. Both Monopoly and Hot Pursuit will set you back $9.99, while Snood is a bit more modestly priced at $4.99.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eaea-mobilemobilemonopolyNeed-for-SpeedNeed-for-Speed-Hot-PursuitsnoodSat, 11 Dec 2010 05:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/nfs-hot-pursuit-races-to-400k-in-the-us-in-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/nfs-hot-pursuit-races-to-400k-in-the-us-in-november/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/nfs-hot-pursuit-races-to-400k-in-the-us-in-november/#comments
Despite some quality arcade racers being released in 2010, the genre has had something of a rough year. Racing fans take heart, though, as it appears that Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is off to a reasonable start. After the NPD revealed that the game ranked seventh in November's sales figures, GamesIndustry.biz reports that Hot Pursuit managed to sell 417,000 copies last month.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxFri, 10 Dec 2010 21:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/three-new-supercars-pulling-into-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/three-new-supercars-pulling-into-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/10/three-new-supercars-pulling-into-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dlc/#comments
So, you've finally managed to topple the impossibly low track times set by your unlawful friends in Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, learning how to handle the game's fastest, most reckless automobiles along the way. The "Super Sports" DLC pack, due out on December 21 on Xbox 360, and December 22 on PSN, will to add 13 new events and three cars to the game: The Porsche 911 GT2 RS, the GUMPERT Apollo S and the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport. We bet they're as difficult to drive as they are to pronounce.

The pack will run you $6.99 USD (560 Microsoft Points), which might seem like a bit much for three new cars and 13 new races. Still, think of the joy you'll get when driving the Bugatti Veyron while playing on the law enforcement team, effectively turning yourself into the world's fanciest cop.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterion-gamesdlceamicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3super-sportxboxFri, 10 Dec 2010 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/yes-another-set-of-amazon-game-deals-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/yes-another-set-of-amazon-game-deals-today/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/12/01/yes-another-set-of-amazon-game-deals-today/#commentsAmazon refuses to stop tempting us with awesome deals, hosting an all-video-game Gold Box today -- including some popular discounts that came over the crazy weekend, revisited. The deal of the day is Just Dance 2 for $25.99, representing the perfect opportunity for you to pick it up as a gift for someone else. (Yeah, that's the ticket!)

Lightning deals include Plants vs. Zombies for $13.99 on Xbox 360, and several deals that have yet to be named specifically. We've got "guesses" after the break courtesy of Thrifty Nerd. We say "guesses" because, as repeat deals, it's not too hard to figure them out. Likely highlights include discounts on the DSi XL, PS3, and Vanquish. In addition, there's another whole list of "family-friendly" discounts today for day 2 of Amazon's "17 Days of Deals."

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amazondisney-sing-itdsdsi-xlgold-boxjust-dance-2microsoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplants-vs-zombiesplaystationps3wiiwii-partyxboxWed, 01 Dec 2010 12:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/27/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-pc-patch-to-bring-lawbreaking-bugs-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/27/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-pc-patch-to-bring-lawbreaking-bugs-t/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/27/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-pc-patch-to-bring-lawbreaking-bugs-t/#commentsNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit's dev team has been combing the code of the game for some additional features and bugfixes, and both of those are set to peel out in the title in a patch next week. The patch should lay down an EMP on issues with multi-core CPUs, pop a spike strip on some runaway rain and snow effect issues, and set up a roadblock for a few other crashes and problems, stopping them in their tracks.

One issue that won't get fixed: the obsession born from the game's Autolog feature as you tryto beat your friends' times by just a few more seconds. The developers have decided that it's a personal problem, so you'll have to patch yourself on that one.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugscriterioneafixesissuesneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpatchpcSat, 27 Nov 2010 04:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/watch-a-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-help-unlock-free-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/watch-a-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-help-unlock-free-dlc/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/26/watch-a-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-help-unlock-free-dlc/#commentsDo you like Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit enough to watch a trailer for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit? If so, that moderate, casual fandom could be rewarded with free DLC.

EA is offering a free three-pack of downloadable cars, including the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, the Lamborghini Murcielago LP 650-4 Roadster, and the Dodge Viper SRT10 Convertible Final Edition -- if this latest trailer reaches one million views by December 12. We've embedded it after the break in such a manner as to encourage views. We'll stop short of telling you to Rickroll your friends with it, but if we've accidentally planted the idea in your mind, there's just nothing we can do about that.

[Thanks, Alexander]

Update: The video has passed the 500,000 mark. You can do it! You can tell people to watch a video!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterion-gamesdlceamicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationps3xboxFri, 26 Nov 2010 16:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/black-ops-maintains-top-uk-sales-spot-ac-brotherhood-has-stron/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/black-ops-maintains-top-uk-sales-spot-ac-brotherhood-has-stron/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/22/black-ops-maintains-top-uk-sales-spot-ac-brotherhood-has-stron/#commentsCall of Duty: Black Ops sales may have dropped 85 percent in the UK last week, but even with that massive dip its record-breaking debut ensured that Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood would stop at second place. 63,000 copies separated the two.

The remainder of spots in the top five are occupied with games that involve feet. FIFA 11 defends its spot at fourth, as Just Dance continues reaping the benefits of its Faustian deal and its sequel does the Charleston in fifth. Check out the full UK top ten after the break.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Assassins-Creed-BrotherhoodAssassins-Creed-MultiplayerBritaincall-of-duty-black-opschart-trackchart-track-weeklyFifa-11Just-Dance-2microsoftNeed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplaystationps3UKwiixboxMon, 22 Nov 2010 09:01:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/amazon-expands-game-downloads-service-adds-titles-from-ea-ubiso/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/amazon-expands-game-downloads-service-adds-titles-from-ea-ubiso/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/19/amazon-expands-game-downloads-service-adds-titles-from-ea-ubiso/#comments
Amazon has been offering downloads of casual games since last year, but has announced a new initiative today that will see its digital distribution offerings expanded. Now Amazon shoppers can purchase "more than 300 blockbuster titles" from EA, Ubisoft, Atari and Sega and to celebrate this new partnership, Amazon is offering deals on select titles from now through Thanksgiving -- including 33 percent savings on certain EA games now through Sunday, as well as 50 percent off more than 50 different core titles.

If you're hungry for more gaming deals, be sure to check out our Black Friday deal coverage here.

EA hosted a launch party for its new Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit game last night at the Avalon nightclub in Hollywood. Among the celebrities and performers Chiddy Bang, we found Criterion Games' creative director Craig Sullivan right before he introduced the game to the audience. "It's been amazing," he said of the response to the game so far.

"We're really really happy with it." Sullivan's been a fan of Need for Speed since the original 3DO game, and along with the rest of Criterion, he says he was thrilled to get the chance to make an official title. "When we got our shot at the title, everybody was really up for it and we just kind of went crazy."

We asked about DLC for the game, but Sullivan was still mum. "Given the fact that Criterion Games did a year of downloadable content for Burnout Paradise," he admitted, "I would be very surprised if we didn't do any followups or downloadable content for Need for Speed." But when pressed on what that DLC might be, he declined to comment until later on.

Still, the party was a good time -- EA invited about 5,000 members of the public to come enjoy the game in a club that only held about 2,000 people. You can see pictures of the event in the gallery below.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craig-sullivancriterion-gamesdlcdownloadable-contenteahollywoodlaunchmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpartypcplaystationps3xboxWed, 17 Nov 2010 13:21:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-demo-downloaded-over-two-million-tim/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-demo-downloaded-over-two-million-tim/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-demo-downloaded-over-two-million-tim/#comments
In case the flood of promotional messages from your friends hasn't tipped you off yet, here's some news: a lot of people have checked out the Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit demo on Xbox Live and PSN. According to some stats from EA, "more than" two million consoles downloaded the demo within the span of two weeks, making it the most successful demo for the series yet.

Throughout their time with the demo, players have raced across 54 million miles of road in Seacrest County, resulting in over 20 million busts by law enforcement. If you were looking to get in on either side of the conflict, we're afraid you can no longer download the demo. But! We've got the next best thing: our review of the game!.

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit launches on November 16 for the PS3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Windows PC.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterionCriterion-Gamesdemoeamicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3racingxboxWed, 10 Nov 2010 21:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-review/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-review/#comments
It's been a good year to be a fan of arcade-style racing games, with Blurand Split/Secondneck-and-neck in the race to be the year's best. Unfortunately for them, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit from Burnout Paradise creator Criterion Games just took first place.

For the reboot of this Need for Speed sub-series, which saw two installments across PS1 and PS2, Criterion has created a racer that not only lives up to expectations of thrilling speed and pristine visuals but blows past them with a cops-and-robbers career mode.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterionCriterion-GameseaElectronic-ArtsmicrosoftNeed-for-Speedneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3RacingxboxTue, 09 Nov 2010 17:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-offer-cheeky-tips-and-trick/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-offer-cheeky-tips-and-trick/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/09/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-offer-cheeky-tips-and-trick/#comments
What's all this, then? You'd fancy a five minute clip of British actors portraying the events of a Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit race? Brilliant, as EA's just sent one over! Perhaps you don't have a full five to sit around? A more condensed vid is available as well, both found after the break. Spot on!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterion-gameseaelectronic-artslive-actionmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationps3xboxTue, 09 Nov 2010 15:25:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-tours-seacrest-county/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-tours-seacrest-county/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-tours-seacrest-county/#commentsNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit wants you to believe Seacrest County is a "driver's paradise," but we feel this latest trailer ignores the best thing Seacrest has to offer: Señor Guapo's Bakery on Alameda boulevard. Seriously, don't visit just to drive around, go have the churro of your life.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterionCriterion-Gameseamicrosoftneed-for-speedneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitnintendopcplaystationps3wiixboxThu, 04 Nov 2010 19:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/theres-a-lot-going-on-in-these-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-comm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/theres-a-lot-going-on-in-these-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-comm/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/theres-a-lot-going-on-in-these-need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-comm/#comments
EA has developed one of the most perplexing ad campaigns we've ever seen to promote its upcoming racer, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. It's a five-part mini-series following the shenanigans of two valets, one of which is also secretly a renegade cop (?), and one of which is also a street racer (?). Of course, they don't bust fools or drive fast in these ads. They park cars, because they're valets. Sometimes, they don't park the cars, because they're edgy.

Oh, and they're played by Jerry Ferrara and Kevin Dillon, whom you may know from the hit television series Entourage, or, if you're not an HBO subscriber, Hotel for Dogs. Check out the first two entries into this commercial series, titled "Officer Douche" and "You Park It," respectively, after the jump. After that, join us in wishing that these ads get their own spin-off television show, Cavemen-style. We'd love to see the complexities of these characters unfold, you know?

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advertisingcommercialcriterion-gameseaea-canadaentouragemicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3xboxTue, 02 Nov 2010 22:40:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/next-need-for-speed-coming-from-ea-black-box-burnouts-not-dead/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/next-need-for-speed-coming-from-ea-black-box-burnouts-not-dead/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/11/02/next-need-for-speed-coming-from-ea-black-box-burnouts-not-dead/#comments
Criterion may have swiped development duties for the upcoming installment in EA's ancient racing franchise, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, but it seems the franchise will land in familiar hands for the series' next iteration. In a recent interview with Eurogamer, EA senior vice president Patrick Soderlund responded to a question about whether Black Box would be behind the wheel of next year's Need for Speed, saying "you can assume that, yes." Later, he cheekily implied that one could safely assume that.

On the off-chance that you don't need the Need for Speed, Soderlund also shared a bit about the future of EA's other flagship racing franchise: Burnout. Soderlund explained, "we haven't made a decision to whether Burnout does this or that, but it's not dead for sure, no," adding that the publisher is currently "prioritizing what we want to do." Here, allow us to help arrange those priorities:

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>burnouteaea-black-boxea-canadamicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3xboxTue, 02 Nov 2010 11:00:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/hot-pursuit-demo-undead-nightmare-highlight-xblm-releases/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/hot-pursuit-demo-undead-nightmare-highlight-xblm-releases/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/26/hot-pursuit-demo-undead-nightmare-highlight-xblm-releases/#comments
Right on schedule, the Hot Pursuit demo arrives on Xbox Live Marketplace, joined by a "pack" of wild (western) zombies. Head past the break for the complete listing of today's releases.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dead-rising-2demodlcgames-on-demandmajin-and-the-forsaken-kingdommicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitRed-Dead-Redemptionsports-fan-skills-packsports-packthe-bigs-2undead-nightmareundead-nightmare-collectionxblmxboxTue, 26 Oct 2010 11:15:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-limited-time-demo-coming-oct-26/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-limited-time-demo-coming-oct-26/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/25/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-limited-time-demo-coming-oct-26/#comments
We've got a need -- a need for temporarily available demos of racing games that'll be available publicly in a few weeks, anyway. EA's bringin' it, with a Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit demo that will be available on Xbox Live Marketplace and PlayStation Network from tomorrow until November 9 (the demo goes live on PSN in Europe on the 27th). The publisher didn't explain the reason for the demo's temporary availability, instead focusing on the details of the forthcoming trial.

Both "Dark Horse" and "Roadster's Reborn" game modes will be included. The former is the standard cops and robbers/cat and mouse scenario, while the latter offers ghost car time trials to compete against. The game's "autolog" social networking feature plays heavily into the second game mode, only unlocking after players add friends into their "Need for Speed friends list." We look forward to reevaluating our "friends" once it becomes impossible to beat some of their track times.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autologcriterioncriterion-gamesdemomicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3psnxblaxblmxboxMon, 25 Oct 2010 10:55:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-introduces-the-seacrest-poli/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-introduces-the-seacrest-poli/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/22/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-introduces-the-seacrest-poli/#comments
Though we would have assumed that the Seacrest Police was a force responsible for monitoring and punishing the behavior of a certain American Idol host, the Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit trailer posted below is evidence that this assumption was very, very stupid. Like, so stupid.

EA is bringing some of its biggest properties to iOS, the company revealed during a recent presentation at the Apple Store in Ginza, Tokyo. Aside from the numerous titles already revealed last week, EA is currently working on ports of Dead Space 2, Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, and even an ad-supported, subscription-optional version of Pogo, the company's casual online games portal. There will also be an EA Active presence on Apple's devices, as well as a version of Monopoly.

Also, the other properties EA has lined up include an adaptation of the board game Pictureka! and a new racer called Reckless -- formerly known as Deliverace. If you're wondering, "Why the name change?" then clearly you've never spent time on the Cahulawassee River. Nobody wants to be reminded of that "vacation."

For images of some of these newly-revealed games, head on over to 4Gamer.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apple-ioscriterion-gamesdead-space-2eaIOSipadiphonemobileneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitvisceral-gamesThu, 14 Oct 2010 17:40:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dev-diary-introduces-autolog/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dev-diary-introduces-autolog/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/14/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-dev-diary-introduces-autolog/#comments
In Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit, there's an in-game social suite called Autolog. It allows players to compare progress and connect through various features -- actually, the people who created it would do a better job describing it, so head past the break for a brief video overview.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autologcriterion-gamesmicrosoftneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitplaystationps3xboxThu, 14 Oct 2010 08:30:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-captured/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-captured/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/10/04/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailer-captured/#commentsThe latest trailer for Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit provides lots of footage of implausibly fancy police cars chasing similarly precious private-owned vehicles, for what most be the most serious speeding citation the Seacrest County police can offer. If they have to get a helicopter on you for speeding, that's going to be a rather pricey ticket.

This trailer also gives some attention to Hot Pursuit's "Autolog" feature, which helps connect players to one another, and displays a bunch of stats about your friends' performance. In case you thought you were doing well!

Update: as noted in the video, a demo will be available October 26. We're following up with EA about the timing of the demo release for each platform.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>criterionelectronic-artsmicrosoftneed-for-speedneed-for-speed-hot-pursuitpcplaystationps3racingxboxMon, 04 Oct 2010 09:45:00 ESThttp://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-its-most-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-its-most-wanted/http://www.joystiq.com/2010/09/24/need-for-speed-hot-pursuit-trailers-its-most-wanted/#comments
The Seacrest County Police only drop their spikes and break out the road block for the most wanted. But for all we know, this guy's just got one of those stuck accelerator pedals. Didn't you hear? It's spread to Porsches now.

EA CEO John Riccitiello told attendees of a recent Bank of America conference (via CVG) that Need for Speed developer Black Box Studios was "on a death march, building for five years in a row," citing a decline in sales between 2004 and 2007 as the end result. "[They were] annual iterations, they had to put it out; no rest for the weary," Riccitiello said.

He then explained that "It was definitely our fault," adding, "Those days are gone. We're back in two studios and we've got them on bi-annual cycles." In his opinion, the forthcoming Hot Pursuit reboot is the fruit of that changed-up development cycle. "This year is right back in the core action driving ... it's had a two-year dev cycle ... I feel great about it," he posited. Oddly, no mention was made of the now annual Black Box franchise Skate, but we're hoping for an announcement of Skate: Hot Pursuit by year's end.

The EA blog had a chat with Criterion's Matt Webster the other day, and he says that Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit will be about 'four times bigger' than Criterion's last big racing hit, Burnout Paradise. There are a few reasons for that. First and foremost, Criterion wanted the cars going upwards of 250 miles per hour, so more speed means more room needed. There will also be more elevation in the levels, as well as more space to do things like hide your car in the bushes and find off-road shortcuts. Webster says there are over 100 miles of tarmac, and lots of other space to explore as well.

He also talks about the game's "Autolog" system, which will allow for ghost competitions between players, and what he's calling the "Speed Wall," a set of leaderboards which shows how close you are to overtaking your friends, even if they're not online. And finally, Webster says that Criterion has been hard at work replicating real cars for the game -- they had to fine tune the wheels of a McLaren out 2 mm just to get it to hit the right top speed in-game. Sounds like the game is coming along well -- it's scheduled to hit the lights and punch it this November.